CHRISTMAS is indeed the time for giving especially for those who are most in need.

This is what 47-year-old scavenger Myra Marqueses believed as she personally sent her warm regards to Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda for his continuous support to Kampangans who have less in life.

“Maraming, maraming salamat po Governor kase malaking tulong po ito. Pandagdag puhunan na rin po ito. Maraming salamat po. Hindi po kami napag-iiwanan,” she expressed.

(Thank you so much for this big help. This would be an additional investment for us as well.)

Ramon Tacbad, 58, said the Governor is an answered prayer sent from heaven to help poor people like him cope with their difficult life.

“Sobra po ang pasasalamat ko sa Ginoong Diyos dahil ginamit niya bilang instrumento si Governor Delta upang makatulong sa aming mga mahihirap na makipagsapalaran sa buhay,” Tacbad said.

(I am very grateful to the Lord God for using Governor Delta as an instrument to help the marginalized folk.)

Marqueses and Tacbad are only two of the 1,505 scavengers in the province who actively collect at least 1,034.15 tons or approximately 76 truckloads of waste consumed by the people in the province per day.

As a way of giving back for the contribution of their sector to the province, Pineda, together with the members of the Provincial Board, distributed holiday food packs and cash incentives to each scavenger on Friday, December 20, during the “Mangalakal: Kayantabe King Kalinisan at Kaayusan Assembly” at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

Aside from this, Vice Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and husband Bong Pineda also gifted the scavengers with towels, slippers, and half kilo cavan of rice.

The scavengers were overjoyed as they received the gifts given to them.

The governor, meanwhile, assured the scavengers that they will not be left in terms of the benefits and privileges offered by the provincial government.

“Eka yu pu migaganaka, king administrasyun ku, alang malakwan,” the governor stressed.

“Ikayu ngan, kayabe kayu karing programa na ning Kapitolyu,” he added.

Also present in the event to assist the governor during the distribution were Board Members Fritzie David-Dizon, Anthony Joseph Torres, Cherry Manalo, Benjamin Jocson, Ananias Canlas Jr., Rosve Henson, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Angelina Blanco, and Provincial Employment Service Office head Luningning Vergara.